Is God The New Gay Icon?

Earlier today, I discussed the topic of LGBT individuals turning to religion for all the wrong reasons. I expressed how such behavior is absurd and unjustified, and explained how it actually hurts the gay fights for equal rights!

As a gay and atheist person, I would like to ask you for opinion.

The full article:

A few things surprise me in life... unexpected combinations can amuse or shock me, but rarely make me go 'Oh what the hell?!'. I guess I'm not the judgemental type of guys; I'm tolerant, understanding and easygoing.

Having said that, I still can't fully grasp some of life's absurdities. What would be your reaction if I told you about a Jew Nazi? Shocked, right?... Now how about a religious gay person? What would you say? Normal? Acceptable? Or pure nonsense?!

I say it's ridiculous, unjustified and self-destructive. Being religious can be harmful in its own right, let alone when religion makes you its preferable target for criticism, mockery and demonization! For some reason (none actually) religion has declared war on the LGBT community. That's far from new, since religion has had an infamous record in human rights issues, however, and correct me if I'm wrong, we no longer live in the middle ages.

I don't blame religion. It is doing what it does best; feeding on fear and ignorance to spread its message of hatred and inequality. Those I do blame are the people who willingly agree to take part of such questionable agenda. Yes fellow gay theists, you are doing it wrong! How do you accept, as sensible and mature human beings, to believe in something that opposes the very essence of who you are? How can you pray for a god who has, reportedly, burnt a city for being 'corrupted' by homosexuality? How does it feel when a priest, an imam or a rabbi denies you your very own right to exist in this world?

I have tried to rationalize your case, to think it trough, but I have failed to find an explanation. You say you turn to religion to heal the wounds inflicted by society... I say it's like escaping a wild bear and going right into a pack of wolves. Religion won't help you, God won't save you.. if anything it will make you feel even worse. Call me ignorant, but I can't understand your convictions. Adding an extra layer of oppression and barbarism will only degrade our condition.

I reproach you with not joining our fight, preferring to sit back waiting for some divine intervention while gays, lesbians and transsexuals are threatened and killed around the word. What are you waiting for? When will you open your eyes to realize that your God is part of the problem?! That because of him and his questionable teachings you can't lead a normal life!!

And finally, remember that we've got each other and our cause supporters... and that, my friends, is truly divine!

Though I am not a member of the LGBT community, I do sympathize with their cause and believe that, as autonomous human beings, they are entitled to the rights and equal status that all human beings deserve. I do agree wholeheartedly with your post. It does not make sense for anybody to join up with the very groups/belief systems that are trying to destroy them as individuals.

The whole outcome of religious doctrine and belief is the destruction of rights that all rational beings should be entitled to, on the basis of fear and arrogance. Religion is the most dangerous form of stupidity.

They subscribe to religion the same way all liberal theists do - by cherry picking, and rationalizing, and ignoring all the bad parts until they are left with this tacked-together message of "God's Love" that doesn't even resemble the actual bible. Its all just willfull ignorance of what their holy book actually says, deluding themselves into thinking it says what they want it to say, and is also partly because of the urge everybody has to conform and fit in with the rest of their society.

"How can you pray for a god who has, reportedly, burnt a city for being 'corrupted' by homosexuality?" - Not in the bible. Genesis 18 only says that the "cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great." In Genesis 19 the scene where the men want to gang rape the angels is just saying 'the place was so perverse that the entire town wanted to violently rape angels.'

This article seems to not take into account that there are Gays who actually not only believe but have researched in the bible and found it not to be as solidly against homosexuality as most would imagine. I think this article is writhe with generalizations that are inaccurate.

I simply can't comprehend "LGBT" combined with any of the abrahamic religions - I know it happens.

I know some people can mentally manage it,but I can't simple understand it.

It's nearly an oxymoron for me - like "black light" or "living dead".

Certainly a number of LGBT people twist the words around and get comfort by going back to the "original" original of the original translation and choose the meaning they like best, but in our times nearly all of the arguments against LGBT people are religious in context ... and whichever way you want read it, the truth is the fanatics don't want a conversation, nor are they satisfied with a different opinion - they want all LGBT people dead.

I agree with Lindsey, cherry picking is the primary reason LGBT folk can rationalize accepting the absurd. Believing in a sociopath tyrant who is incapable of finding the only two people in the world because they are hiding behind a bush should give one pause. If you have a shred of belief still clinging to a thin portion of brain tissue, remember this is the God who in a fit of childish insecurity, destroyed the world because he was sure the entire population on the planet was evil.

IEatDinsaurMeat Sodom and Gomorrah has always been one of my favorite stories.It so clearly depicts the fallacy of the bible as a Good Book. You have two cities supposedly having non-stop sex (so what's wrong with that) and along come two Angels. Angels mind you, who are apparently incapable of defending themselves from silly humans. They go to visit an old geezer, who, somehow has remained pure, umm he did have two kids, Well anyway, sure enough they hardly finish dinner when the town comes banging on the door wanting to KNOW the visitors. If that isn't the silliest thing you have ever heard, it runs close. So, what does the old man do, keep in mind this crowd is looking for MEN to know, he offers his two daughters, like offering a ham sandwich to the the Talliban. We will skip what happens later in the cave, urk!, and there you have it kiddies, a moral teaching to live by.